


Garden of Maples

by AltheaPoi



Category: Original Work
Genre: Afterlife, F/M, Grim Reapers, Maids, Master/Servant, Shinigami
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-04
Packaged: 2020-06-09 14:11:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,477
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19477534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AltheaPoi/pseuds/AltheaPoi
Summary: Philia found purpose in her tolerance and preparing meals. She cooked for Death because she was good at it and she stayed within his iron walls because he needed someone to be there when he came home from work. But when other spirits start to go missing and rumors spread of a rogue reaper,Philia reevaluates her true duties.





	1. Prologue

The trees were hard to see from the hallway. Void of color, they clambered like ghosts against a soundproof window. Philia rubbed her palms against her knees. It was her first time being in such a white space. The hallway seemed to stretch on for eternity,reflective floors and walls free of pictures. It was more sterile than any hospital. With lighting that was far too bright,she had no idea what time it was or for how long she had been sitting. Still she didn’t want to get up and explore such a newfound,nameless place. 

She thought of reciting a prayer when a door swung open. It rattled against the wall as if someone had kicked it. She hadn’t noticed it before and rose quickly to the sound of female chatter. It had been so long since she heard voices and was taken aback by her own as she called out.

“Hello.”

The murmurs continued and the closer she stepped the clearer the voices became accompanied by the drag of a fork here;a clink of a glass there. A warm,floral smell emitted from the doorway and she placed a hand against her chest,steadying her breathing before peering inside.

A long graywood table was fixed in the middle of the room seating a row of five women on each side. One had stopped her conversation to turn towards where Philia stood;others continued eating. They exchanged topics over wooden bowls and stone plates filled with a variety of dark greens,meats and bread. Much different than the antiseptic hallway,Philia stepped further into what was now an old cabin. 

“I was wondering if anyone else was coming.” …”She should really just sit down” … “Is this parsley or coriander?”... “Why are we all dressed the same?” ...“Do I look that scared?” ...“No. But you look like shit.” … “Definitely coriander.” 

Philia took in the ten women before her feeling relieved. They were all strangers to her yet strangely kindred. She wanted to join them and comment on their altered versions of the same white lace dress. She remembered liking to debate and complement. For ages it seemed she had been trapped in a clean,little box but now she had opportunity. In this new space she could express herself to listening ears and remember how good it felt to talk. Her eyes started to burn. 

It wasn’t long before everyone noticed there was a newcomer in the room. She joined the table taking the eleventh seat as if returning home after a grueling day of work. At the end of the table,she felt like a leader;the chair her throne. Ten faces,younger,older,clear or freckled stared back at her before eyeing each other;silently deciding who would be the first to speak. 

Philia slowly touched the top of her head. She was wearing a crown of flowers too. They were soft and damp. Had it been there the whole time? 

“So you gotta name?” The tallest spoke. She twirled a fork between her fingers impatient with the newcomer’s slow reactions.

“Philia.” 

“Have you been waiting long?” A kinder voice sprung from Philia’s right. She was a cheerful looking burnette,no younger than twenty. “I’m Olive by the way.”

“Nice to meet you. I don’t know how long I was out there but I never noticed this room before.” 

“I didn’t either. It was just here so we each walked in. Jade,” She nodded at the tallest. “ was here first then me. Slowly the others started trickling in.Same story and everything.”

They hadn’t realized the dull humming in the room until it started to dissipate and the ladies eased back into their previous dining conversation. A raspberry crumble was placed in the middle of the table. 

“At first we didn’t know if we should eat the food but it smelled so good. No one has died yet so...here.” Several bowls were passed around and the younger woman took the liberty of dressing Philia’s plate. 

She didn’t mind. “Who cooked all the food?” 

Olive shrugged. “It just kind of shows up. Like,I can pass around this bowl of bread,right? By the time it comes back to me its full again. No one has seen anyone come in and leave. New stuff shows up sometimes too. Another funny thing is we never get full. Nor are we ever starving. It’s just a balanced sort of feeling.”

“Never needed to take a shit either.” Jade chimed in tapping her wine glass with a finger. Her hair was jet black and she had been eyeing Philia the whole conversation. 

It made Philia uneasy. She turned to the older woman on her left learning her name was Baylis. She was strong looking,admiring her silverware with quiet intrigue. She raised her head as Philia leaned in. “Are we dead?”

“Most likely,hun.”

“But. This can’t be Heaven.”

Olive patted Philia’s drooping shoulders. “No. Probably not but if this is Hell it’s not so bad. We can eat whenever we want,hang out. This place is like a cute, little cottage.”

Jade scoffed. “There ain’t no men though.”

“Or family members.” Remarked another woman. 

“Maybe they’re in Heaven.” A freckled woman suggested. She was the first to dig into the raspberry crumble. Her name was Maureen. Philia wasn’t sure how she already knew it. “While we’re just in purgatory.” 

“Or they’re still alive. Talking to our graves like we can hear them or some dumb shit.” 

“Jade!” Olive nearly threw her napkin. 

“Well have you fucking heard anything?! By the way,do any of you even remember what your loved ones look like? Cause I sure as shit don’t. How long have we been here? Two hundred fucking years could have passed and none of you would know!”

Silence.

Philia touched the neck of her glass. “For as long as I’ve been here,however long that may have been,I’ve only heard you guys. But if it means anything,I’m really glad I did. Sitting here is better than spending eternity alone in a hallway.”

That warm and floral sensation melted into the room again. The women exchanged looks with each other before they went back to eating. Baylis smiled to herself while two other women named their favorite breeds of dogs. 

Olive patted Philia’s hand. “You know. I don’t remember completely how I died but I know it was near water. Every time someone pours me a glass I get this awkward pain in my chest. It passes though. Before it gets too much to handle.”

Philia shook her head. “I don’t remember much either. Just darkness.”

“Maybe you were buried alive.” Jade smirked from three seats down. Olive was gearing a defense when Philia waved her off. 

They watched in dismay as she propped her feet onto the table knocking over the freckled woman’s wine glass.A plate of seasoned kale and mangoes clattered to the floor. Olive and the two dog lovers were quick to clean the mess while Jade did nothing. Her steel toed boots clashed with everything rustic about the space and Philia felt disrespected. 

“Was that really necessary?” Olive huffed patting the table dry. 

“I needed space for my feet.”

“You know what Jade maybe we really are in Hell and you’re actually some washed up demon who was assigned to torture us!”

Jade held back a laugh. “That’s quite the imagination. And that’s the best you can come up with?”

“Maybe it’s a good thing you can’t remember your so called loved ones. They probably don’t want to remember you either.”

Jade’s hand was at the young woman’s throat instantly. She had slammed her against the table,her back knocking over more wooden bowls and cutlery. Even with three women grabbing at her,Jade had a vice on Olive slapping her whenever she got her hand free. 

Philia only stood in rapid thought. She glanced at a bread knife. Shouting soared high into the ceiling,echoing off the wooden beams and rained back down on the messy tug of war. Maureen crawled over the table and grabbed a hold of Jade’s hair knocking off her wealth. She raised a fist over her head like a gavel and looked towards the door. It rattled open. 

“Guys!” The redhead made an awkward yelping noise before scurrying back to her seat. 

The three women released Jade and everyone,even Olive,looked towards the sound. 

There was someone standing in the doorway. 

The floorboards moaned under his measured footsteps. A man of indefinite age entered the room with his hands in his pockets. Black pants that were baggy but tight at the ankles. His feet were bare,nails painted an elephant gray. Summed from the bones of the Earth,his skin rivaled the hallway that he came from. 

Philia felt a overwhelming need to straighten her posture and the others did as well. No one said a word as he made his rounds,studying each lady in equal time;noting the mess. His head was shaved bald,a bluish hue also gracing his neck. Philia recognized the black kimono jacket he wore but couldn’t place where she had seen it previously. 

He slid into an empty chair provided by Jade who moved to the end of the table. She quickly cleaned up the space with the help of a few others. As if choreographed, one woman placed a wooden bowl of salad before him,another some fruit,and Baylis sliced his steak. Two ladies followed his gaze at the napkins and squished mangos on the floor. They were instantly on their knees scrubbing. 

“So you’ve chosen to sit at the head of the table. You’ve chosen to take responsibility?” 

They paused realizing he was speaking to Philia. His voice was bellowing with the cadence of a seasoned professor. 

She hesitantly reached for her wine glass and decided against picking it up. “It was one of the only seats left. When I got here the side chairs were all taken. Would you rather sit here?” 

“I already have my own responsibilities.” He bit into a piece of meat and ate quietly. 

Philia motioned for the others girls to sit once the table was back in order. The floors were spotless again and she noted stains on some of their dresses. At least their crown of flowers were still intake. 

“I'm thirsty.” The man’s voice clung to the air. He hadn’t looked up from his plate since he sat down. His eyes were unwavering;a pool of granite behind gold-rimmed glasses. The veins in his hands tumbled as he reached for more food and he paused to glance at her. If she didn’t speak soon he was going to crush her.

“What would you like?”

“Something green.”

Philia nodded and turned as if knowing exactly what to do. She headed over to a counter at the far end of the room with Olive trailing behind her. She looked over her shoulder as Philia gathered lemongrass and mint that seemed to appear out of nowhere. A mortar and pestle weren’t too far from her reach either. 

“What in the hell are you doing?” Olive’s whisper had bite. “We don’t even know who this guy is!”

“I don’t even know who you are.” 

Olive pressed her lips together. “Still. I feel a lot safer around you than him. I mean look at him. He just stares at nothing. What if he tries to eat one of us?”

“Eat one of us?”

“Yeah! You weren't here when this other weirdo came out of nowhere and dragged off one of the girls. There was blood everywhere.”

Philia stopped. “And none of you thought to tell me that?”

“We have eternity to talk. Why dump everything on you at once?! Though come to think.” Olive looked at a spot on the floor. “It sure doesn't look like a murder took place here. I don’t even remember who cleaned up. It was a really long time ago.” Not wanting to think about the horrid event much longer,she helped Philia setting a small plate of apricots on a white tray. Along with it,they carried back a large glass pitcher and rejoined the silence of the table. Their mysterious guest was staring at the table chewing before looking up at Philia who sat a glass in front of him. He sniffed it.

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

Olive and Philia took their seats but found it difficult to eat. They all focused on their plates listening to the gentle scrapes of a fork and knife. No one needed to say it but this had to be their destiny. This was life after death. You grow and cultivate your God given skills to help wad through the tides of a world that has no time for you. Hopefully you earn some money,maybe even a title. But soon the paddling gets too hard,your body weakens and you die. Only to become the maid and cook to a man you didn’t know. 

“What’s your name?” Jade decided to be brave.

He slid his tongue across his teeth and pulled apart a piece of bread. “Sen.”

“Sen” Everyone repeated.

“So. You were waiting in the hallway too?”

“No.”

The women looked at each other. Jade cautiously leaned into the table. “Then. Do you live here?”

“No.”

“Okay. Then-”

“You two come with me.” Sen rose from the table throwing his napkin on his plate exhausted. “Olivia bring the apricots. Philia bring that pitcher with you.” His slid his hands back into his pockets and lumbered towards the door. 

Olive couldn’t stop her fingers from trembling but managed to pick up the plate of fruit. Despite Jade’s attempt at strangling her,she had found home in the company of these women.  
She glanced at Philia who already had the glass pitcher in her hand. 

“I don’t want to go.” The younger one whispered with a squeak.

“What choice do we have?” 

Sen was already at the doorway leaning against it,unfazed by the women’s bewilderment. He took one final look over the room holding the door as the two passed through. Baylis’ farewell was the last thing Philia saw and just like that she was back in the vacant hallway. No sound. Vivid light. Only the patter of their footsteps were signs of life. 

“It’s getting late.” 

Sen was feet ahead on them walking a leisurely pace that seemed to cover far more ground than the two women could manage. The few windows they passed were still clouded over with ash. 

There was no need for conversation as the three walked the halls. Sen remained in the lead, his narrow back the only focal point. He scratched his ear for a brief moment before returning his hand to a pocket. His fingernails were painted too. 

A million guesses ran through Philia’s mind as to who this man was and what he wanted. Olive grabbed her arm, still shaken. 

The hallway ended in a fork with a small blue lantern sitting in the middle. It’s flame was dull. 

“Just in time.” Sen stopped to look over his shoulder at his new employees. They seemed so small and breakable. 

“Do you ladies like Japanese maple trees?”

The question was random but the two wasted no time in nodding. 

A smile meandered across his lips, soothing his face. In an instant he became a magnolia in full bloom. 

“Good.”


	2. Round Moon,Closing Sky

They were long-legged and heavily tattooed as most reapers were. Equally opinionated,they sat around a simmering hot pot griping about their workload. Though their eating habits were less than refined,these men were bewitching and fully conscious of it. They met under the same small,mossy pavilion every first quarter, a well kept fire and the moon above keeping the shadows at bay. 

Philia had seen them many times before but was consistently off-kilter whenever she passed them by. She would succumb to that dull flutter somewhere deep between her heart and stomach. The throaty laugh of a man. The confidence and strength it held. It made her face warmer than she would have liked.

The foursome saw each other periodically. Sixty years of greeting with a wave,a nod of acknowledgement before heading home. Her path was the same,meandering through the lamp posts and various foliage. But tonight Philia wore an unintentional lure,a light blue dress that left much of her shoulders bare. It was enough to pull the men out of their nightly debate.

“Hey!” Reaper# 2 lightly kicked a stool beside him. His back was to her. “Come sit, girly. We know you have time.”

Rubbing the inside of her palm,Philia took in the peculiar gravity of the situation. With their aggressive tone and the curious tattoo work covering their arms and neck,she had completely lost her train of thought. A moth passed over her to dance above the open fire. 

“Oh.Alright.” She padded towards them and took a seat.

Northern winds combed through the surrounding grassland still slick from a previous storm. Philia’s toes were cold. She straightened her back attempting to regain composure but the presence of three primordial beings was impossible to shake. 

Reaper#2 smiled to himself. He was honored. 

The third reaper across from Philia was sucking his spoon like a toddler. His hair was unruly compared to his friends and he was shirtless. Interested in making the female spirit as uncomfortable as possible, he gave his best dead-eyed stare. 

“What made you decide to wear blue?” Reaper # 1 was accommodating. He dressed like a salaryman and kept his staring at a minimum. 

“No major reason. I just got tired of wearing the same old dress.This one feels more positive I guess. Like it gives me hope.” 

It sounded stupid when she said it out loud. Her afterlife had been a clock with a perpetual tick. Yes the sun rose and fell here. Storms came and passed. But she never changed. Naturally she was capability of learning something new but nothing that would carry her further than the next meal she had to prepare. There was nothing to look forward to. This was purgatory. 

Across the table she heard a snort.

“You certainly don’t seem like the hopeful type.Let alone thankful.” The youngest man finally blinked. “Could have ended up as fine dust in the wind yet you mope through here like the entire universe is your burden.”

“Oh no. I just have a lot of responsibility.”

Reaper #1 offered her a plate eyeing his colleague. His fingernails were painted black. “Then you’re more like a person always deep in thought.Nothing wrong with that. ”

“I was trying to think of what to make for dinner.” Philia was actually reminding herself. 

“Oh. You’re a cook.”

“Sort of. More of a homemaker. The reaper I work for never eats the same dish twice. So I’m always trying to create something new.”

Reaper# 2 rolled his eyes wiping his chin with the back of his hand. “Sounds like a primadonna. To eat is a blessing in itself. ”

“I’m not sure he sees food that way.” Philia adjusted her posture again. “It’s like there’s a particular flavor he’s chasing after and I just have to keep guessing at it. He won’t finish it if I’m way off.” 

“Chasing after a flavor. Who the hell does that?” 

“Sen.”

Someone whistled. Philia was staring at her feet under the table.They were so much smaller than the black boots next to her. Telling glances passed between the men, the nearby fire warming their lovely faces. A tenor chime at the edge of the pavilion made a low ping. The wind was picking up again. A moth fell into the hot pot and no one bothered to fish it out.

Reaper# 1 clasped his fingers together. “That makes sense then. Over-demanding. And he doesn’t show any gratitude I’m guessing?”

Philia winced. “He says thank you. We do talk. But other times he just drinks some wine and goes up to his room without a word. Initially I thought living with him would give me some sort of purpose but everything feels routine. I know he appreciates what I do for him and that’s fine but I can’t help but wonder if that’s all I was meant for in the end. Of course I would ever bring this up to him.” 

The men made their own gestures of exasperation. Philia was surprised how at ease she felt spilling her thoughts. There was an unspoken hierarchy between spirits and those who reaped them that made it difficult to gauge who she could speak to freely. 

“That bastard. I envy him.” Reaper 2# rubbed his neck. “He always gets the most kind-hearted women. I’d kill to have someone cater to me.”

“You probably would.” The youngest mused.

Philia took a swig of beer that was offered. “It’s not like I have a choice how to treat him. He tells me what to do and I do it.”

Reaper #2 snatched her can away in a playful manner. “You ever thought what would happen if you rebelled?”

“Why would I do that?”

“Someone needs to bust his balls. Plus it’s hilarious when he’s angry.”

Philia checked the stew. The moth was dead. “I don’t see how that could be funny.”

“Girly,you just don’t know the meaning of comedy.”

Reaper# 1 sighed. “Comedy is not the word I would use. Sen is a force to be reckoned with and that’s why he gets certain liberties and will take eons for us to attain. He does good work. Great work,actually. I’ve never seen what he does when a spirit gets out of line however. Usually if someone screws up his route,takes on a soul from his ledger, that reaper is never seen again. When you ask Sen about him, he stonewalls. It’s so eerie.”

The other reapers agreed. 

“Do any of you have spirits living with you?” Philia was honestly curious. She figured Sen couldn’t be the only one allowed to take souls home with him.

Reaper #3 swallowed a large amount of meat before sucking his teeth. They looked sharp. “There was this one babe. Died in a house fire. She was out in the middle of nowhere just crying. I decided to take her home with me just to have someone to talk to. It was before I met these two. Long story short she was depressing. Always begging me to send her to heaven or wherever else. Like I had a choice in the matter.“

“What happened to her?” Philia asked.

“I dunno. I came home one day and she was gone. She wasn’t registered for ascension so she must have ran off into the woods somewhere.” He knocked back a beer and crushed the can in one fluid motion. “I did like her though.”

Philia felt the distance in his voice and looked over her shoulder. Every direction was lined with giant black trees that bent and shivered. The heaviest gusts always came when the moon hung low in the sky. The thought that there was a grieving soul somewhere out in the darkness all alone was disheartening. She wondered if that poor girl was staring at the moon too. 

The gas lamps finally decided to turn on batting a vibrant orange that made the area feel more like a park. She took a final sip of beer before announcing she needed to head back home much to the protest of her new friends. They made her promise to come seat next time and Philia quietly agreed.   
-

Every morning and night Philia crossed a sea of yellow flowers in everlasting bloom. Knee to foot she was covered in a golden dust;the fields caressing her like a duck in a lake. Under a starless sky,she was finally alone in the quiet with her thoughts. 

“Somen noodles and black tea.” She weighed the dinner idea. It was a good start but far too plain. 

Sen enjoyed odd combinations. Mustard dipped apples with grilled fish. Cucumber pizza with peanut punch. It was admittedly childish but it was what he liked. She thought of the hundreds of cookbooks lining the bottom kitchen cabinets and wondered which she hadn’t considered yet. 

CRASH

A fleeting image of a smashed birthday cake startled her. It was so abrupt and she tried to retrace it when a figure appeared in the fields parting the flowers as it moved towards her. 

“Oh.Why are you-” 

“Where. The Hell. Have. You Been?”

Olive appeared like a ghost in her cream nightgown and matching robe. She wore an exaggerated expression trying to catch her breath and bent over for a moment. Whatever it was couldn't wait until Philia got home. 

“You okay?”

“She’s.” Olive grabbed at her arm habitually. “She’s freaking out again.”

Philia didn’t need to guess who. “She usually tires herself out. Just ignore her.”

“I would but she keeps breaking things. She already tore up my room.”

“Your room was already a mess.” The taller woman smirked.

“Well now she got the whole house flipped upside down. Including the kitchen.”

Philia’s smile fell. “She broke the plates?”

“Not all but she got some of the mugs and I know Sen has his favorites…. Don’t look at me like that. She’s super strong! I tried to stop her but she just tossed me around.”

“What about the twins? Are they doing anything?”

“Just kind of picking up after her. Doing a poor job of it.”

Philia gently held her forehead. “Sen could be home at any minute.”

“Which is the reason why I came looking for you!” 

The noise was brief but enough to pull the women out of their home drama. Back to back they scanned the surrounding blossoms. A thin fog was blurring the distant trees and bushes. No animals lived in the otherworld. Insects flourished but bugs didn’t make this kind of noise. It was agitated then fell into a seething whisper that was impossible to locate. However something was stomping in the flowers. 

“Philia.” Olive’s grip slid to the woman’s hand. 

They sprinted for the house toes digging into the dirt as a painful moan that echoed across the fields. The golden flowers slowly dissipated and soon the path burned red with star-shaped leaves and pink petals. Rows of black gum trees led the way to a towering iron gate that was already opened. It closed with a resounding clank as the women slipped through. For a moment Philia could have sworn she heard a third set of footsteps keeping pace but soon as they reached the front lawn, the air was dead. 

Olive collapsed on the steps of their home painfully out of breath. She looked over the hill sweeping the treetops for anything out of place.Like every other night,it was just the silver moon and the shadows. It was as if nothing ever happened. 

“What the fuck was that?”

Philia was performing her own surveillance trying to calm the twitch in her hands. She didn’t see anything either. “I don’t know.”

“That wasn’t human.”

“I know.”

She took a deep breath ingesting the soddy air before turning back to the house. Crafted with sharp edges it was comparable to Wright’s Fallingwater allowing the surrounding nature to sync with its stony walls. The curtains were drawn. Sen wasn’t home yet. Olive muttered something to herself darting inside after hearing a glass break. Philia followed close behind. 

-

Marjorie, the new girl, went from cabinet to kitchen cabinet pulling out anything she could send crashing into the wooden floor. Her wails were horrific,a young woman in unimaginable sorrow and debility. It was as if no one else in the universe was going through what she had to. To die so unexpectedly only to become an involuntary servant to the grim reaper for all eternity. 

She hated doing his laundry having unwillingly memorized his scent and style choices. Through tears she washed,folded and ironed,cursing his name whenever he silently passed by. She should have never followed him out of that room.

To make matters worse,Marjorie’s fellow housemates were apathetic;moving through their chores like well-oiled machines. No one listened to her complaints. No one offered a shoulder to cry on. They turned their backs on her as soon as she decided she wanted something better for herself. She hated them too but Sen was the worst.

He had to pay.

So Marjorie destroyed every plate, cup and mug she found. The more exquisite,the quicker it was smashed. Her screams fizzled to a sob when Philla caught her wrist. The older woman had had enough, turning on all the lights to access the damage. Olive had grabbed a broom gathering the shards that had flown into the dining room while the twins Tiana and Rae were picking up the larger pieces of porcelain. 

No one said a word watching the two power struggling in the kitchen. Philia, a darker-skinned lady of quiet passion and her frail and flighty counterpart Marjorie.

“Put it back.” Philia was surprised by her own voice having chosen to be the domineering leader of the house. She held onto Marjorie’s arm as a gold rimmed cup dangled in the smaller woman’s bony fingers. 

It had been originally pushed to the back of a cabinet for a reason. Philia’s little savior,it was a gorgeous jade color, heavy to the touch and a favorite of Sen’s. If her dinner failed to meet his expectations,a drink from this darling cup could save an evening. It had taken her years to figure it out and now it was split in two after Marjorie launched it into the sink. 

“Fuck you! I’m not a child!”

Philia was breathless. “You idiot. Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“What? Oh Sen liked that one? Fuck him!” She eyed the other women who were equally flabbergasted. “What is he gonna do? Kill me? I’m done being his slave. I didn’t ask for this.”

“None of us did.” Olive muttered gripping her broom. “But it beats being stuck in a room.”

“This place is better?” Marjorie stifled a laugh. “Sen is just some lazy, sadist looking for ways to feed his need for power. I mean when I was alive I wasn’t a bad person. I gave to charity. I volunteered at hospitals. I don’t deserve this! Who’s to say he didn’t steal us away from a potential shot into heaven? Have any of you ever thought about that?”

Philia was staring at the broken cup in the sink. “Sen doesn’t have control over where we end up.”

“Oh don’t act like you know everything.” Marjorie ran her fingers through her hair. “You may have been here longer than me but I know when you’re bullshitting. Why the hell are you even on his side anyway?”

“We have to clean this up before Sen gets home.”

“Yeah,? Well you girls can. As for me,I’m done.” Marjorie slapped one final dish off the counter and turned to exit the kitchen. 

In an instant Philia was at her back grasping her collar like a cat’s neck. Marjorie’s rapid flailing was pointless as she was dragged through the living room and up the stairs. She clawed at the older woman’s arms and managed to grab a handful of Philia’s hair before being kicked into her bedroom. She fell back winded and curled into a ball just as the door was slammed shut and locked. Shaking all over,Philia leaned against it holding her forehead. She had never been the violent type. 

“You’re a fucking traitor Philia.”

She was actually exhausted. “What are you talking about?”

“Why the hell are you on that asshole’s side?”

“I’m not on anyone’s side. We were chosen to work for him and you decided to go and break everything. How do you think it’ll look when Sen comes home?”

“I don’t give a shit how bad it’ll look. He’s made us all suffer.”

“By cooking and cleaning? We won’t know what true suffering is until he gets home.”

“Then you better hop to it and clean up.”

Philia exhaled tapping the wall. The twins appeared at the top of the staircase giving her an understandable glare. They looked like cranes bidding her goodnight before disappearing down the hallway in matching lace robes. Like Sen,they didn’t talk much but were pleasant to be around.

“Believe me Marjorie if I could have Sen take you back to that white room I would. ”

“What promise did he make to you Philia? What lie did he tell all of you to where no one sees this place as a hellhole but me?” Her voice was slowly returning. “You’re all treating me like I’m crazy.”

“He didn’t promise us anything. We just knew he was someone we could trust. I admit he is intimidating but he has never been cruel to us. You know that. So to go and trash the place does make you look like the crazy one.”

There was a long pause and some rustling on the other side of the bedroom door. Marjorie threw something across the room and immediately started sobbing. Philia looked at her feet. She thought of the wandering soul that the reaper back at the pavilion talked about and the woodlands that stretched on for eternity. 

“That reminds me.” She turned to the door. “Have you heard any weird noises lately? Outside the gates?”

Marjorie sniffed. “What? No. I don’t get to leave the gates. I’m not as special as you and Olive are. Sen put some stupid barrier up.”

“It’s probably for the best. Anyway if you see anything you let me know.”

“You literally kicked me in the stomach. I have had-”

A large hand pressed against the door frame. Sen hovered over Philia with an unreadable expression listening to Marjorie’s rant about fake personas and inequality. His gray eyes were fixed on the woman below him,a lethargic expression that prompted her to move away from the door. He curled a finger signaling to follow him and the two left Marjorie to yell at nothing in the darkness.

-

Sen enjoyed the west side of the house that was being overtaken by hydrangea shrubs. When given the chance,he sat on the most shaded part of the porch to do his paperwork. Tonight he decided to share the space with Philia bringing a tea kettle and two mugs that managed to survive. Together they sat amongst the chirping crickets and watched the moon escape through the clouds. The reaper wore a Henley t-shirt that he didn’t bother buttoning and Philia could almost make out the geometric tattoo etched across his chest. 

“Is that dress new?” Sen finally spoke side-eyeing her. Like the young reaper in the woods,he had an odd way of looking at her.

“Oh. Yes. I decided to dress a little differently.”

“You don’t like routine?”

The question was difficult to interpret and Philia spoke carefully. “Routine is fine but I just wanted to see how I felt wearing this instead. It’s my favorite color too. But if you’d prefer the other dress,I can change back.”

She twitched a little when Sen turned towards her cradling the mug in his large hands. “You don’t need my permission to wear what you want. Plus you look very nice.”

“Thank you.” 

Sen nodded in response. He smiled at the gentleness in her voice when another thought came to mind. “You’ve been hearing weird noises?”

“Yes! Olive was with me when it happened. Outside the gates.” Philia tucked her legs beneath her. “It was the scariest thing.”

“What did it sound like?”

“I don’t really know. Like a large animal in pain? It chased us all the way home but I didn’t see anything after the gate closed.”

Sen remained quiet studying the woman’s face before shifting back to gaze at the sky. He ran a hand over his head. “You need to stay in the house tomorrow.”

“Okay.”

“Promise me you won’t leave.” He was glancing between the moon and Philia as if trying to hide how conflicted he was. There was something he knew that was irritating and maybe even scaring him. “Marjorie is easy to replace but not you.”

The woman hide her face behind her mug taking a big gulp. Sen didn’t notice and leaned back. 

“That goes for you too Olive. You’re a terrible spy but a good worker so stay here.”

Olive appeared from around the shrubs with a sheepish grin on her face. “I just came to tell you that your bath is ready.”

“Hm.” The reaper smirked handing off his mug to Philia as he rose to his feet. He took one step into the house gripping the top of the doorway. Another elaborate tattoo crept up his lower back. “That’s right. I also forgot. Don’t worry about making me dinner anymore.”

Philia squeezed his mug. “Is it because-”

“It has nothing to do with your cooking. I know I don’t say it often but you have been fantastic. I just feel there are other skills you possess that would be of better use to me.” 

He eyed Olive for a moment and went inside the house, leaving the women to speculate.   
The burnette took a seat on the porch and gave Philia’s knee a slap. 

“He wasn’t even remotely mad.”

“Which is a relief. Great job on the kitchen by the way.”

“Piece of cake. Figured you would be dealing with Marjorie for a hot minute.”

They spotted a snail making its way over a stone step. Philia rested back on her hands,stretching her shoulders. 

“That girl. I’m not evening looking forward to being stuck with her all day.”

“You can help me clean the bathrooms. I rarely run into her. Though you’ll handle the toilets.”

“Deal.”

Olive glanced over her shoulder. “He’s been looking good lately, hasn’t he? I know he basically said he doesn’t want us to get hurt because good help is hard to come by. But why does he make me so giddy? The guy has the personality of a rock.”

“He’s letting his hair grow out again. What do you think that thing was that chased us?”

“Couldn’t even guess if I wanted to. But it sounded like he knew. I’m sure he would tell us if we were in any imminent danger.”

On the opposite side of the house,a second floor bedroom window was open. Completely naked,Sen brushed his teeth scanning the midnight forest for anything out of place. Nothing ever was. It was annoying being fully aware that something neither spirit or reaper was lurking outside his property.


End file.
